Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

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Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

Nice piece from The Post…

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BOCA RATON — The 90-acre triangle of scrubland looks like a vacant lot and its sign has long since toppled off its post. Welcome to Florida Atlantic University's nature preserve, tucked between the Boca Raton airport and a parking lot at the north end of the FAU campus.

You could also call it the tortoises' last stand.

Against the odds, the gopher tortoises and their neighbors the burrowing owls are still eking out a living in the ever-shrinking preserve at the margins of higher education.

Their champions are a group of students committed to a new style of conservation.

They don't chain themselves to bulldozers. They reason with the power brokers.

"I see the value of a football stadium," says Leonardo Calle, a senior studying urban ecology and a member of the university's conservation committee. He is referring to the new FAU football stadium, which just this month sliced a few more acres off one side of the nature preserve.

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Re: Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

Good article. The preserve was always one of the places I always tried to stop by at some point while I was on campus. ( I still head over there whenever I'm in town too). Yes, it's small and most people do not see the value/importance of that little piece of scrubland, but it does serve a purpose. It does need some work though, and with some new signs, and some collaboration with the bio dept., it could be a great little feature for the school. Not many universities have a wild version of thier mascot living on campus.

Also, the article gave a good plug to Dr. Frazier, one of my favorite professors. She had a real laid back class, and I learned a lot in her class that I acutally use in my day to day work. If anyone has the chance to take classes with her, I would definetly recommend her.

FAU - We got Bowls!

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Re: Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

duder said

Good article. The preserve was always one of the places I always tried to stop by at some point while I was on campus. ( I still head over there whenever I'm in town too). Yes, it's small and most people do not see the value/importance of that little piece of scrubland, but it does serve a purpose. It does need some work though, and with some new signs, and some collaboration with the bio dept., it could be a great little feature for the school. Not many universities have a wild version of thier mascot living on campus.

Never thought of it that way…like that point.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.

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Re: Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

walty12 said

duder said

Good article. The preserve was always one of the places I always tried to stop by at some point while I was on campus. ( I still head over there whenever I'm in town too). Yes, it's small and most people do not see the value/importance of that little piece of scrubland, but it does serve a purpose. It does need some work though, and with some new signs, and some collaboration with the bio dept., it could be a great little feature for the school. Not many universities have a wild version of thier mascot living on campus.

Never thought of it that way…like that point.

Yeah…

Some programs should really look into the possibility of introducing their mascot in natural states into the campus culture…especially on campuses like Clemson (Tigers)…USA (Jaguars)…Penn State (Liions)…Arkansas (Russian Boar)…and UNC (Rams)…

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Re: Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

duder said

Good article. The preserve was always one of the places I always tried to stop by at some point while I was on campus. ( I still head over there whenever I'm in town too). Yes, it's small and most people do not see the value/importance of that little piece of scrubland, but it does serve a purpose. It does need some work though, and with some new signs, and some collaboration with the bio dept., it could be a great little feature for the school.

One day we'll probably have to build an owl habitat/aviary on campus. It would cost money to feed them but hey, the Owls would have a permanent home, they'd be safe, we could treat injured ones and students/the community could come out to see them. Also we could build into the scrubland and when people complain, we'd say, "Hey, we have the aviary and we can move them over to there, no problem."

Re: Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

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Re: Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

I dont have a problem with a owl rescue center but I still want wild Owls on campus to some degree. One of my favorite memories from FAU was seeing two little burrowing owls on the Davie campus, right there in a little area amidst the parking lot, keeping a look out as I walked to class.

I do think it would be cool, however, to have an aviary for injured owls right near the stadium where people can come see them before and during the game, learning about them and what not (security present on game days)

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Re: Students at FAU dig into protecting the university's owl preserve

SeminOWL2006 said

I dont have a problem with a owl rescue center but I still want wild Owls on campus to some degree. One of my favorite memories from FAU was seeing two little burrowing owls on the Davie campus, right there in a little area amidst the parking lot, keeping a look out as I walked to class.

I do think it would be cool, however, to have an aviary for injured owls right near the stadium where people can come see them before and during the game, learning about them and what not (security present on game days)

An aviary would be real cool. Something next to the stadium like what they have over here at Busch Gardens for injured eagles. I still like the idea of keeping the preserve, but unless it is a dedicated conservation easement granted to either the DEP or the South Florida WMD, it will likely be developed at some point in some way, shape or form. Campus real estate is extremely valuable.

But with the whole "environmentally friendly" attitude goin nowadays, I bet we could get some donations to help with upkeep and feeding, and you have plenty of student volunteers for getting work done.